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2 SHEETS-ISHEET l'.

Patened'NoY. f1, 1919.

P. W. HEISCHER.

CAN TOPI-ING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED micy 7. 19m.

P. W. FLEISCHER.

CAN TOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEc.7,19|5.

Patented NovB 4E, 1919.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

Lmma

v a a Wilma/no PAUL W. FLEISCHIER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y..

'PATENT oriucE.

, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CN COMPANY, A.

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-'roPrINe MAcHrNE.

Specification of -iietters Patent.

ratentedvNov. 4, i919.

Original application filed December 1, 1915, Serial No. 64,494. Divided and this application tiled December 7, 1915.4 Serial No. 65,511.

To all lwhom t may concern.'

Be 1t known that I, PAUL lV. lfnniscnnn, a cltizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county of New York and 4 State o'f New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can-Topping Machines,`of which the following is a 'specifi- -cation.

The inventionrelates to can topping machlnes, whereby the contents of the cans may 'be pressed down as the cans are fed ,to the closing mechanism and before they reach the same, so that such contents will not interfere with a hermetic closing of the cans, and a properspace left between the top of the Vcontents and the under side of the can end or llhe principal objects of the invention are to provide for p. proper feed of the cans to and from the topping device7 and while they are being operated on by the same; to enable the device t0 be readily adjusted for different sizes of cans; and to provide for readily throwing the topping device out of operation when it is not required without changing its adjustments.

-With such objects in view, well as the attainment of all other features of usefulness and advantage which are inherent in the improved can closing machine, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed. Y

.In order to make the invention lmore clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means 'for carrying.

the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular construction which, for the purpose of. example, has been made the subject of illustration. In -the said drawings Figure 1 is a front view, partly in vertical section, of a can topping machine embodyinA the invention.

ig. 2 is a plan view of the topping device and related can feeding means.

w Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the actuating gearing. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the means for adjusting and lifting the plungers of the topping device.

Referring to the drawings, the main fixed framework of the machine is indicated at l. 'lhe filled cans without tops are fed either by hand or autonmtically upon a rotating receiving and feed table 2. This table overlaps the margin of a second rotating table 3, which may be vcalled the can spacing table, and which is supported by a bracket 4 of the frame 1, and frietionally drives the table12.

The feed table 2 is' supported and adjustable around the can spacing table' by a swinging'arm 5) mounted upon a fixed hub surrounding the shaft 10 of thesaid spacin table 3. This arm 9carries at its outer en a stud shaft 11 which is adjustably held in the arm by a set screw 12 .andupon the upper end of which the 'receiving table 2 may rotate. Mounted. upon the upper end of the stud shaft 11 and above the receiving-table is a stationary disk 13, which serves to keep l the cans upon' the outer margin o'f the greceiving table 2. The disk 13 isadjustably heldin place on the shaft'll by a set screw 14' and carries-an .arm 15 which engages the table 3 is a housing 16 which rotals with the said table 3, and in which are 'radially slidably mounted a plurality of can spacing shoes 17, which are yieldingly pressed outwardly by coiled springs in a known manner. As the causare delivered from the reeeiving table2'upon the can spacing table 3, and are carried around by the same, they are caught between the shoes 17 and a fixed arcuate guide rail 19 mounted on the bracket 4 and adjacent the outer margin of thesaid spacing'table. If the cans so caught do not immediately register with the spaces between the shoes 17, they will be rolled along the rail 19 lby the said shoes untilthey register -With and work into such spaces. The cans will then be carried around the table 3 in spaced positions proper for successive and timed delivery toy the further feeding devices. y

W'hen the cans have traveled about one half a revolution of the table 3, they engage a second deflecting guide rail 20 which projects outwardly from the main fixed table 21 of the machine and'acr'oss the path of the Located inl the-center ofthe can spacing iso moving cans. When the cans encounter the rail 20 their ourse. is sn deflected as to deliver them successivctv between the vrms of a rotating star wheel :22 which delivers the cans from thc can spacing*r tahlc Il onto the main talile :21.

The star wheel :2:2 is adjustalily mounted, the reason l'or which will he explained later, aliout a vertical hollow shal't which projects don'uwai'dlv therefrom and carries ucar the, lower end thereot' a gear wheel 2l. This gear wheel is one of a train of gears h v which the .t'ced taliles :2 and 2 are rotated. as hereinafter .setforth. Salidahl)v mounted upon the upper end ot' the hollow shaft 23 h'v means otl a feather key :15. is a toppercarrier 2G. This topper carrier is provided. with a plurality ot' vertical hearingsl 2T col'- responding in nmnlier to the Aarms of the. star wheel 22 aml each ot' which has mounted therein a vertically slidingr plunger rod 28. The plunger rods 2S are provided `at their lower ends with topping disks 2U which partly enter the cans and serve, to press down their contents and displace surplus content-s as the. are, conveyed on the table 21 heneath th'e .topper hv the star wheel 22. The plunger rods'ih are further provided. at. their upper ends. with rollers 3u which engage a stationar \Y topper cam 231 which is keyed to the upper end ot' a non-rotating shat'tV 3:2 mounted within the hollow shaft2:}

The low part 33 ot' the cam 3l is at the' point where the toppin; r ot' the cans is to he. ellected as they are carlied'lrv the Star wheel 22. and the high part 3stis at the opposite. side ot' the cam. .\s the topper carrier 2V rotates` with the star wheel it. causes the rollers Si() to travel alioutthe stationary cam 31 and as the rollers approach the part. 33 ot' the cam. they will cause the plunger rods 2S and the topping disks .29 to descend successively and press down upon the qoutents of the cans as the)v are conveyed beneath at. the same speed h v the star wheel .2'2. This insures that the cans shall he uniformly filled 'and the closing' operation will not. he interfered with. ;\s the cans continue their course. under the action of the star" wheel 22 the 'engagement Aby the rollers 30, with' the part 31 of the cam 31 causes the plunger rods 28 and their topping disks to rise, trom within and out ot' contact with the eans.-

The shat'textends downwardlyy through the hollow shaft 255 and is adjustahly sup ported at' its lower end hy an adjusting' nut 35 which rents upon ahearing;r 35 carried hv a hraeket 36 secured to the hase of the machine frame l. 'Ihis adjusting nut has fixed thereon a hand wheel 37 by WhiCll the same may .he easily i'iperat-ed to regulate the. topper to its proper height ahoveithe` cans. according: to the. vertical dimension o1' the causen which the machine is to op crate. Threaded upon the shaft 32 and ad- ]accnt thev adjusting nut 35 is a lock nut 37 which serves to secure the said adjusting nut upon the shaft 32 in its; desired position. The shaft 32 is prevented from rotation but permitted to slide verticallyT in the bearing -Sf by means of a feather key 38 (Fig. l) secured in the latter. :ln order that the topping device may be thrown upward and entirely out of operative position with respect to the cans. without changing its operative adjustment., there is providetl'near the lower end of the shaft 32 ahand lever 39 which is pivotally mounted upon the bracket 3G as indicated at 40. This lever 39 is provided wit-h a shoe 4l whichgengages a. peripheral groove 42 in the hub L3 of the'hand adjusting nut Then the lever 39 is raiscdfit will cause` the shoe 11.1nounted thereon to lift the adjusting nut- 35 'and' the vertical shaft 3Q, which in turn will raise the topping device aS a whole'away from the cans, leaving lthe star wheel 22 iiiioperats ing position;- I

In order that. the topping device may be securely held in either'the-opcrativegor inoperative position there s provided :a ,spring controlled pin Hav-hielt "is mounted in the lever 39 and may en fageeither of apertures 4:5, 4.6. as the case may he. in thc bracket 36,

thus positively lockingr thetopper in itslower and upper position.

It. is at. times inecessary-j'ctov set the star wheel i212 haekward or l'oi'ward about its shaft relative to the point at which the'. evans are topped to acconnnodate cans of a" greater .or less diameter and to insure. that the cans will he propevly centered beneath the plungers of the topping mechanism.- To facilitate .thisjhe hab of the stzrwheel 221s provided'wth two diaim-trically opposed concentric slots 47 through which pass locking' holts lS-which are threaded'into a collar 19 keyed to the hollow shaft 23. then Vit iS desired to reset the stai' wheel..the bolts -18 are loosened permitting the adjustment of the said star wheel about thefshaft 23. L The cen-- ter of a larger or smaller rcan is Caused to he perpendiciilarly under ythe topping disk at the point ot' topping' h v appropriate arrangement. of th'e, guide rails'lfl', Q0. 54 or h v the suhstitution'ot other guide rails. 49 is aspring f rnide-v tt-n'minglr with one of the rails 54 a yielding throat. into which the cans are. lorced h v .the star wheel 29 and which holds firm and steadies the cans as they are delivered from the star wheel to the feed chain, so that they are not jarred or their contents spilled as they enter between the 50 and a driven sprocket/5lJI which carry af sprocketchain 'lhis cl-iain. which will be referred to as the feed/cham, earricsat outy diiturhine; the adjustnient of the saine; and in ans lor actuating the said topping derive.

Sl. ln :i van closing machine. in Combination; a topper nn-rior; topper plnngera vertirnlly reeiproeahle therein; a hollow shaft, on whieh `mid (opper carrier is Slidahly keyed; meanl l'or supporting; and rotating said hol# low lmail; a non-rotary sha/it slidalole Verhirall'v within said hollow shaft.; a cani fixed to ille Iaid non-rotary shall and having conneclions l'or reeiprmaling Said topper plunger-s.; a van propelling means movable with. and under the said plungers; a frame bracket at the lower part ol said noirrotary Shaft and in whieh the lader is nlidahly keyed; and adiioiingr moana engaging said non-rotary ynhai'l.

lll. ln a eau closing' machine in combination: a Jropper carrier; 4@opper plunger-s rertieally reriprooablo therein; a hollow shaf on whieh laid topper carrier is Slidahly keyed; menne; For Supporting and rotating said hollow shaft; a non-rotary Shaft slidnhle vertically within said hollow Shaft; a `'rooved c-nn fixed io said non-rotary Shaft and having `eonnections for reciprocating aid topper planners; a can propelling; wheel adjalstahlxj lnonntd on said hollow Shaft; a lraine, hraelet at L le lower part of Said nonrotary shai'i and in which the laier is Sslidahly keyed: and adjusting means engaging said non-rotary Shaf'fl Vll. ln n, can Closing machine? in coniloina tion: a topper earrier; topper plungersn'erliealllv reeiproeahle fhereing a hollow Shaft on which said topper carrier is sli'dably keyed; niennn vfor supporting and rotating said hollow shaft: a nonn'otary shaft Slidahle rerlirall)v within said hollow Shaft; a

1;). fln a can closing' machine, in combina-l tion: a topper carrier; topper plungers vertieally reeiproeable therein; a, hollow Shaft on which said topper carrier is Slidahly kered; nie-.inn for Supporting' and rotating aid hollow shall/1 a non-rotary shaft slid ahlo vertically within said hollow Shaft; a a( roored Cain. fixed to said inni-rotaryehat and havino` Connections; for reciprocating said top per pluugers; a can propellingl wheel adjusl ably mounted on said hollow shaft; a frame, bracket at the lower part of said noir rotary :shaft and in which the latter slid: ably keyed; an adjuating nut engaging ,aid shaft by a screw thread and supported hy said bracket; and a hand lover for raising and lowering said nut.

llfin tion: n vertical shari-j opping devices mounted thereon and having ineans for turning rhein in unison with cans o he topped; inean for reoiproeating said topping devices vertically; devices for adjusting said shaft vertically; and means for nioi'inp` said Shal' vertically irrespective of its adjusting; means, for throwing the top ping devices outzof operation.'

iln tentiniony whereof 'l have, affixed my Signature, hereto.

y PAUL W. rrlnisonnn.

a topping apparatus, vin Combina- 'he movement of l 

